FIA Urges the European Commission to List Fusion as Stand-Alone Under the Net-Zero Industry Act
On February 20, the Fusion Industry Association (FIA) submitted its feedback to the European Commission on a draft delegated act under the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA). The NZIA, which came into force in June 2024, puts the EU on track to strengthen its domestic manufacturing capacities of key clean technologies. The Act focuses on 19 different net-zero technologies listed in its Annex, including a category called “other nuclear technologies” that currently includes fusion energy. The draft delegated act aims to amend the NZIA Annex by clearly defining, for each technology, the final products and key components used in their production.
In its feedback, the FIA has provided a list of key components that are critical for building fusion power plants and hopes these will be included in the delegated act. Further, the FIA supports the inclusion of fusion energy technologies but strongly urges that fusion be listed as its own subcategory of net-zero technology, rather than being grouped under “other nuclear technologies.” This separation is important because fusion energy is vastly different from nuclear fission, and mixing the two could lead to unintended issues in both regional and international markets. Several countries have strict regulations for nuclear fission plants, and combining fusion with them could create unnecessary regulatory burdens.
The FIA believes that distinctly confirming fusion power as eligible under the NZIA will provide much-needed certainty to the industry and could unlock new or additional investments in the EU. Fusion energy is a clean energy source with zero greenhouse gas emissions, and recognizing it separately will help ensure that it receives the proper support for its unique potential.
About the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA): The NZIA is designed to boost the EU’s ability to manufacture clean technologies on the continent. Under the Act, projects involved in producing key components and final products benefit from streamlined administrative processes, regulatory sandboxes for testing new ideas, and the opportunity to be recognized as strategic net-zero projects. Although the Act does not create new funding, it makes it easier to access public money through the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP), which brings together several existing funding programs.
The NZIA also sets ambitious production targets. By 2030, the goal is for European manufacturers to meet at least 40% of the annual demand for these technologies, and by 2040, the EU aims to capture 15% of the world’s production. These measures are intended to ensure that Europe remains competitive and self-reliant in the development of sustainable, net-zero technologies.
